Spain update October 2024
September 2024.
To connect with the “adventures” mentioned in the previous update I can tell you that the adoption day of the 7th of September was not the end of it because there was still a lot on the program in the 2 weeks that we stayed in Belgium. The first walk in Nukerke under the wings of Tasch & co, the week after the annual meeting annex cozy get-together with all co-workers and in between umpteenth obligations, doctor visits, paperwork and to round it all off, a fair and a lot of noise and crowds in De Pinte...
Saturday the 14th of September 2024
In the morning Dirk left for Nukerke to help set up the hall for the next day. To my great frustration I must stay home because my back was literally and figuratively in the way, and so he left alone. In the afternoon I received the first photos of a beautiful and cozy decorated hall, the exhibited tombola prizes and a throne that was shining against the background of a large photo with the shelter dogs on it. When after repeated insistence from almost everyone I finally found the "button" to go live on my phone, helping hands Sabine, Nensie, Tasch, Stijn, Mario, Inge waved enthusiastically into the lens and Tasch asked me with a big smile what I thought of my throne because the intention was that I would pose 2X for half an hour the next day with adopters who would pay 5 euros for that. I swallowed hard but even though I hate posing I replied to the beaming Tasch that I would do it, anything for the dogs right. In the meantime, I thought of the wise words of our very own Marianne Phillipo who always said that I would be better off having a cardboard image made of myself and having it pose with people... No one would see the difference she always claims because I always look the same, I can only agree with her words. Anyway, despite the worries and doubt that came with a new walk we were all ready for it.
Sunday the 15th of September 2024
Even though it was the first time, the registrations for Nukerke had exceeded all expectations and that is not obvious for something new. The many candidates and their four-legged friends had trusted GINB and had not cared about the new hall, the new caterer who had to earn his feathers for the first time, the new walk and the new environment and deservedly. The hall was spacious, cozy and full, the food delicious, the service perfect, the weather wonderful, the walk beautiful and the lottery with always the same lucky winners beautiful... I did my duty and posed 2X for half an hour in front of Peter Van Tricht’s lens, fortunately he took the photos because Peter has patience, a lot of patience. There were candidate adopters whom I had invited to come and meet the dogs and apparently it had been a success because in the meantime they are on the adoption list. Hopefully they are motivated enough because unfortunately the week after the adoption day 2 dogs came back, one because she was too enthusiastic and one because she was too scared. A drama for the dogs and for everyone involved. Anyway, I was especially looking forward to the blind Hannibal who came to visit us with his family. Since he was adopted, I had only seen him on the many videos and photos (see website) that his “parents” sent me, and they were incredible. He was involved in everything, traveled along to the south of France and lived an interesting and happy life, and still does, my thanks for that. He couldn’t be happier, and Dirk and I couldn’t be happier either. After the walk we all were very happy, it had been a success! Everyone had left satisfied. On to the next Nukerke walk I would say …
Saturday the 21st September 2024
After the busy week that followed Nukerke, we left on Friday the 20th of September loaded with all sorts of things for the meeting to Vilvoorde. To spend the night close to the location where we were expected the next day before 9:00h by Raymond Buekenhout and his wife Gerda who, as every year, assisted us with the preparations. After a short night and bad bedding, we rushed the next day after applying my war colours to the destination where we started the necessary tasks with Gerda and Raymond. While the first co-workers registered, I went through my "speech" again and was ready. Once fully present, the meeting started first with the regional managers and the coordinators, then all the co-workers joined, and everyone was given a perfect explanation of how FB and other social media work by our media specialists Tasch and Yannick. The emphasis was mainly on what we could all do together to make it even more efficient. To conclude, Raymond, our project manager, gave an overview of the finances and I read my speech in which all co-workers were “honored”. First, big Dirk and Sonja who have been faithful and loyal “GINB’ers” for more than 22 years, for which our sincere thanks. After the formalities and the serious topics, it was time for the aperitif and recreation, and we could sit down at the table. Even though I had insisted that we did not want flowers, wreaths or gifts, we were in turn honored for our 20th wedding anniversary and received a beautiful gift. They do not listen, but we were very happy with it...
Sunday the 22nd of September 2024
The day after the meeting we left at 5:00h with the van back to Spain. "Back to Black, the Hunters are back" I whispered. Even though we drove most of the km in the pouring rain and we had to leave our familiar little hotel behind us because there was nothing to eat, the restaurant next to the hotel was closed and everything in the wide area was closed, we landed at 17:30h at the Novotel hotel in Biarritz where we spent a night last year, on Christmas Day, that promised... When we went to eat at 19:00h the dinner went wrong because it was served by very young incompetent staff who made a game of forgetting who had ordered what. The result was chaos and dissatisfied customers everywhere. When we still had not received our coffee after half an hour after dinner, we were fed up. We were both tired, left the coffee for what it was and went to the room. After a relatively quiet night, there was fortunately a nice breakfast buffet the next morning and we could serve ourselves.
Half an hour later we drove back onto the highway towards Spain at 9:00h for the last 550 km because by staying overnight in Biarritz we had gained 62 km... Unfortunately, after rain comes sunshine, as the saying goes, but it only came when Madrid was in sight. In any case, around 15:30h we were in Casa Belgica and the entire van was unloaded because we had to pick up our dogs from the boarding house before 17:00h. After 3 weeks it would be an intense and happy reunion, that was certain. Not much later we could experience how intense and not only from our dogs... Also "our" stray cats Bella, Zoe, Mimi, Lili, the 3 ladies without names and all the sparrows, turtledoves, racing pigeons and various from the far surroundings were present in large numbers when our "take-outs" were open again. During the night everything was neatly cleaned up by the local rodents.
The 24th of September 2024
A few days after our arrival, Marie-Carmen told us that 10 females had arrived in the last 2 weeks. Poor souls who did not meet the hunters' demands and were left in the field or killing station or worse. It had started... Anyway, there were now 45 females to sterilize, so I contacted Marianne Phillipo to ask if she had time to come. As always, she said yes and immediately started thinking and planning. At first, she wanted to come on the 25th of October, but then we would be in Belgium for three days for the Halloween Walk and so Marianne if she did not look for a solution, and thus in consultation with her staff it was decided that she would come on All Saints' Day, from Thursday to Sunday!! I still do not know after all those years, how I can ever thank this fantastic woman and veterinarian with that immensely big heart who has been sterilizing galgos for almost 20 years with unselfishly effort. What is more, I even have a serious luxury problem because I have two such ladies, I also have Anne Coling who is of the same caliber as Marianne and has been coming for just as long. In short, I have 2 fantastic women to thank. In addition, I also must thank Anne’s assistant Fred who is a doctor in a clinic and always must compromise to take leave because he is head of a department, despite which he has been coming for almost as long as the vets. Finally, there is also Dirk Buffalo, after being a co-worker, co-driver and coordinator, he is now also a veterinary assistant and Marianne’s helper (thanks to his wife Martine who always lends him out). I am blessed, GINB is blessed and especially the galgos are blessed with such loyal selfless friends and I include all co-workers, big and small or thick and thin. So far. Not even half an hour later, Dirk has booked the flights for Marianne and Dirk B. Then our medical stock is replenished, and all the necessary medication and anesthesia are ordered. A matter of being ready…
